* indicates a fan submitted question
| Q.: *Classical Music: How much classical playing have you done? Do you feel that classical training is important to building good jazz skills? |
| A.: I have virtually no classical training at all. I suppose I might have dabbled with an etude or two over the several years I was playing clarinet; and during my few months of piano lessons, I learned maybe 16 bars of a Mozart sonata. I never played classical music on the saxophone until a couple years ago, when I started trying to learn (by ear) some of the Bach cello suites (an arduous, but ultimately very fulfilling, process). Basically, my experience in classical music has been severely limited, borderline pitiful, and I am attempting (slowly but surely) to address this deficiency now. I don't necessarily believe that classical training is essential to building good jazz skills, but it certainly doesn't hurt. I have no doubt that a better background in classical music would have paid serious dividends for me in terms of tone, technique and reading, not to mention harmonic fluency and melodic development. Most of the jazz players I know have only benefited from their experience and training with classical music. I recommend listening to, learning and studying as much quality music as possible, irrespective of style or category. The wider range of musical languages you are familiar with and the greater comfort and control you have with your instrument, the more resources you will be able to draw upon as a jazz improviser |
